Getting around · Vilnius · Lithuania
Getting around Vilnius
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Jodkovska, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
The Old Town and Užupis are best explored on foot, and most sights are within 20 minutes' walk of Cathedral Square. Buses and trolleybuses cover the rest of the city; there is no metro or tram. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- VNO, KUN
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- Public-transport period tickets
Ways to get around
Walking
Cathedral Square, the university, the Gate of Dawn and Užupis are all within a 15-minute walk of each other, though streets are cobbled and hilly in places.
Bus
Buses and trolleybuses serve the whole city, including the TV Tower, Antakalnis and the airport, and run frequently along Gediminas Avenue and the river.
Buy tickets in an official mobile ticket app or load them on a Vilniečio kortelė card before boarding.
Ride-hailing
Ride-hailing apps such as Bolt are widely used and inexpensive, and are the easiest option at night.
Cycling
Bike-sharing and e-scooters are common in summer, and riverside paths along the Neris link Vingis Park, the centre and Šnipiškės.
Train
Trains from Vilnius station serve Trakai in about 35 minutes and Kaunas in about 1 hour 15 minutes.
Tickets and passes
Public-transport period tickets
Tickets valid for 24 hours and longer give unlimited bus and trolleybus travel.
From the airport
Vilnius Airport is about 6 km south of the Old Town. Trains link it to the main railway station in under 10 minutes but run only at intervals, while city buses reach the station and centre in about 15–20 minutes and taxis or ride-hailing cars in about 15 minutes. Kaunas Airport, used by some low-cost airlines, is about 100 km away with coach connections of roughly 1 hour 30 minutes.
Do you need a car?
No. The centre is walkable and Trakai and Kaunas are easy by train or bus. A car helps for Kernavė, Europos Parkas, the Hill of Crosses and the countryside.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Trakai | About 35–40 minutes by train or bus | Train or bus from Vilnius station |
| Kaunas | About 1 hour 15 minutes by train | Train from Vilnius station |
| Kernavė | About 45 minutes by car | Car or local bus |
| Europos Parkas | About 30 minutes by car | Car or local bus |
| Hill of Crosses | About 2 hours 30 minutes each way | Car, or train to Šiauliai and a local bus or taxi |
| Grūtas Park | About 1 hour 30 minutes by car | Car or tour |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Vilnius?
No. The centre is walkable and Trakai and Kaunas are easy by train or bus. A car helps for Kernavė, Europos Parkas, the Hill of Crosses and the countryside.
+How do you get from the airport to Vilnius?
Vilnius Airport is about 6 km south of the Old Town. Trains link it to the main railway station in under 10 minutes but run only at intervals, while city buses reach the station and centre in about 15–20 minutes and taxis or ride-hailing cars in about 15 minutes. Kaunas Airport, used by some low-cost airlines, is about 100 km away with coach connections of roughly 1 hour 30 minutes.
+What is the best way to get around Vilnius?
Walking: Cathedral Square, the university, the Gate of Dawn and Užupis are all within a 15-minute walk of each other, though streets are cobbled and hilly in places.